Bobbin winding machine



Oct. 7, 1952 l 4 r-:frusELlsY` 2,613,038

Y BQBBIN WINDING MACHINE Filed sept. 2, '1949' 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 mesa Oct. 7, 1952 R. HEELEY 2,613,038

BOBBIN WINDING MACHINE Filed sept. 2, 1949 2 sHEETs-sHEET 2 Patented Oct. 7, 1952 BOBBIN WINDING -MACHINE Roland Heeley, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 2, 1949, lSerial No. 113,799

`in machines for winding sewing machine bobbins and is herein illustrated as embodied in a winding machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,343,935, granted March 14, 1944, on application of Paul W. Seneben, in which a. horizontal bobbin winding spindle and a mandrel supporting a series of empty bobbins are rotated andy advanced step by step through a series of winding operations to iill the bobbins successively, all the bobbins being rotated together and .being projected iurther and further outwardly of the machine as the winding operations progress.

The primary objects of the present invention are to provide a simply constructed and eiliciently operated support for the end of the bobbin carrying mandrel and to prevent vibration of the mandrel as it is projected from a machine of the type referred to. Other objects are to provide a support which will not interfere with the removal or replacement of the bobbins on the mandrel and which will steady the mandrel and otherwise to improve the operation of the machine.

In accordance with these objects, the principal feature of the invention resides in a bobbin winding machine havingr a rotatable spindle, a fixed bearing through which the spindle projects, a'removable mandrel secured at one end to the projecting end of the spindle to support a plurality of bobbins in end-to-end relation, a thread guide acting to direct the thread to a bobbin on the mandrel and step-by-step mechanism for actuating the spindle lengthwise a distance equal to the length of a bobbin to cause the mandrel to project furtherand further from the machine after each bobbin is lled with thread. a bearing being movable with the mandrel for steadying the mandrel at the end thereof opposite the spindle, said bearing sliding along a stationary guide rod and along a parallel guide bar to prevent swinging movement of the bearing on the rod and the guide bar terminating short of the rod to enable the bearing to be swung on the rod clear of the mandrel, in which there is `provided friction means to hold the bearing temporarily clear of the mandrel cornprising an arcuate member on the rod and a spring clip on the bearing engaging the arcuate member. p

These and other features of the invention consist of the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed as will more fully be understood 1 Claim. (ICI. 242-23) from the following specification taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which n Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the Winding head of a bobbin winding machine embodying the present invention, showing the parts surrounding the winding spindle and illustrating the positions of the parts as a series of winding operations is started;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation on an enlarged scale of 'one end of A`the winding spindle and bobbin supporting `mandrel in the :machine of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the steadying bearing with the mandrel in its outmost projected position before being forced into the machine preparatory to initiating a series of winding operations; l

Fig. 3 isa plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of`Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the parts shown in pot I8. As soon as the rst bobbin of a series on the mandrel is filled with thread a thread controller 20 is actuated away from that bobbin and step-by-step mechanism is thrown into operation for actuating the spindle lengthwise outwardly in a progressive manner a distance equal to the length of a bobbin on the mandrel to bring a new empty bobbin into winding position. The mechanism for actuating the spindle lengthwise includes a bushingV 22, in which the spindle l0 rotates but with which the spindle moves lengthwise. The bushing 22 is pivotally connected with the upper end of a link 24 connected in turn at its mid portion with `a chain 26passing over a pulley 28 and supporting 4at its lower end a weight 30. To control the lengthwise movements of the spindle the lower end of the link 24 is pivotally connected to a ratchet bar 32 engaged by Va detent 34 actuated'by the thread controller 20.

As the winding operations of the machine progress from the first bobbin on the spindle to the nal bobbin it is apparent that the mandrel i the distance from the outer end of the mandrel to y y the bearing 36y is increased. Accordingly, there is a greater possibility of vibration and erratic movement in the free end of thespindle-during its rotation. A l

To steady the mandrel at the outer end thereof and to supplement the supportgiven by the bearing 3E to the iianges on the bobbins, the outer end of the mandrel is rotatable in a movable bearing in the form ora bushing 38 supported on a sliding mounting., The sliding mounting consists `of a carrier 40, having a passage through which extends a stationary rod 42 arranged parallel to the mandrel. The rod-.42 is mounted Vin an opening inthe machine frame and is clamped in position by a set screw 44 threaded into the machine frame. During lengthwise movement of the mandrel I2 ythe carrier 40 slides along the rod 42 lengthwise of the rod, being forced outwardly by the mandrel step vby 'stepv as 4each bobbin is lled with (thread.

To prevent axial displacementof the steadying bearing 38 from the endof the mandrel a releasable securing means is provided in the bearingcomprising a yieldingrspring-pressed plunger 46 which enters'a circular groove 48 inthe end of the mandrel. The arrangement is such that the steadying bearing may be freed by disengagement from the mandrel in preparation for its removal from the spindle to enable replacement of the mandrel after all the bobbins thereon are lled with thread. l

After the steadying bearing has been disengaged and freed from the mandrel the carrier 40 is swung aboutI therod l2` to a horizontal position shown inthe dot-dash lines o f Fig. 5 to clear the end of the mandrel so that the mandrel can be readily removed or replaced on the spindle. Swinging movement of the carrier on the rod can take placefonly when the carrier is moved to the end'of the rod. lTo prevent swinging movement of the carrier on the rod in positions along the rod otherthan at its end and lto maintain alinement of the bearing 38 with the endv of thev mandrel there is mounted on the machine frame in parallel relation'tothe rodat a location just above it a separate stationary bar 49 engaging a notched surface on the carrier. The bar terminates vsuiliciently short of the end of the rod to enable the carrier to be swungon the end of the rod without engaging the bar. As soon as `the carrier is moved inwardly of thev machine` from the end of the rod, however, the bar prevents swinging'movement of the carrier.

To retain the steadying bearing in horizontal position on the end of the guide rod when the carrier is swung to clear the winding mandrel, according to the illustrated invention, there is secured to the free end of the rod 42 an arcuate segmental disk 5U, the 'outer surface of which is concentric withv the rod except for the lower cutaway portion of the disk. The carrier 40 has a spring clip 52 attached thereto for yielding engagement with the concentric surface of the disk when the carrier is moved to the end of the rod 42. Thus, during operation of the machine the winding mandrel moves the carrier to the end of the bar 49 without disengaging it from the bar. The carrier thereafter is manually disengaged from lthe bar by movement tothe end' of the rod, a l handle 54'being provided on the carrier to facilitate such disengagement. As soon as the carrier is moved to the end of the rod 42 it may be swung to clear the mandrel.

To avoid diiculty with particles of wax collecting onthe rod 44vthrown oif by the thread as it -is being wound upon a bobbin, there is iixedly secured to the machine frame above the bobbin While in winding position an L-shaped guard plate having its base portion projecting over the bobbin as it reaches the winding position between the mandrel and the rod 42. The guard plate catches the wax particles thrown off the thread and prevents their adherence tothe rod. Thus, by use of a short guard plate, thelentirev length of the rod is kept clean vand leasy sliding movement of the bearing on the rodfis insured in all positions.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated .and a .particular embodiment having been described', what is claimedis:

A bobbin windingmachine havinga rotatable and reciprocable spindle, a fixed bearing forthe spindle, a removable mandrel secured at one end to the end of the spindle projecting from the bearing to support a plurality of bobbins inendto-end relation, a thread guide acting to direct thread to a bobbin on the spindle,`and step-bystep mechanism for actuating'the spindle lengthwise through its bearing a distancebetween successive bobbins after each bobbinl is lled with thread, in combination `with a bearing for steadying the mandrel at the end-thereof opposite the spindle, a, stationary guide rod on which the steadying bearing is vmounted for swinging movement to clear the mandrel in preparation for'its removal from the spindle and a separate bar engaged with the bearing and arranged parallel-to the rod toprevent swinging movement of the bearing but terminating short of the end of the rod to enable the bearing to swing on therod clear of the end of.A the mandrel, and friction means on the rod to hold the bearing clear of the mandrel, comprising an arcuate member on the rod and a spring clip on the bearing arranged to engage the arcuatemember when the bearing is disengaged from the mandrel.

ROLAND HEELEY.

"REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

